CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) – Governor Patrick Morrisey announced that he has signed a donation agreement to keep West Virginia’s national parks fully operational despite the recent federal government shutdown. Because of the federal shutdown, both parks have closed visitor centers and Harpers Ferry has ceased operations of public transportation. The Governor authorized resources to restore those services and make sure West Virginia’s national parks are ready to welcome visitors. Pending final approval from the National Park Service, both park visitor centers are expected to re-open in the coming days.
“Our national parks are some of West Virginia’s greatest treasures and I’m proud to ensure they remain open during this time,” said Governor Patrick Morrisey. “I invite folks from near and far to take advantage of West Virginia’s natural beauty and plan a trip to visit one of our national parks or nearby state parks.”
After learning that national park visitor centers would be closed, the Governor and his team at the West Virginia Department of Tourism immediately began developing a plan to keep the state’s national parks accessible to the public. This agreement guarantees two weeks and can be reevaluated if needed.
“We are going to do everything we can to limit the impact of the Schumer Shutdown on our state,” said Governor Morrisey.
“Tourism is essential to West Virginia’s economy, and we want to ensure that our national parks are able to continue welcoming folks to the Mountain State,” said West Virginia Department of Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby. “October is one of our busiest months for visitation, and thanks to Governor Morrisey for allowing us to use state funds, travelers can still visit our parks for stunning fall foliage.”
Earlier this week, Governor Morrisey joined other Republican Governors urging the Senate to pass a clean short-term funding extension and avoid a government shutdown.
In 2024, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve recorded a total of 1,811,937 visitors, with more than 200,000 visiting in October alone. Last year, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park welcomed more than 488,00 guests, with nearly 78,000 arriving during the month of October.
Economic impact data released Tuesday at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism revealed that West Virginia has surpassed $9.1 billion in annual tourism economic impact for the first time, with visitor volume surpassing 77.2 million. On average, travelers spend more than $18 million in West Virginia a day.
Visitors to West Virginia should not notice any disruptions once parks are reopened. West Virginia’s expansive state park system remains unaffected and will continue operations as normal during this time. To start planning your trip to West Virginia’s national parks, visit wvtourism.com/fall.
